Why Bangkok’s Fun Is Ending At Midnight Again

[webfact]

Why Bangkok’s Fun Is Ending At Midnight Again

By Chayanit Itthipongmaetee, Staff Reporter

 

  

Photo: Mad Club / Facebook

 

BANGKOK — It’s Friday night. A group of friends finishes up at Havana Social in the Nana area at 1am and shares a cab to a Thonglor bar that doesn’t get going until the wee hours. Instead of finding a bumping DJ and press of bodies, they get a “Sorry, we’re closed.”

 

The midnight curfew on nightlife in the most cosmopolitan part of town is back. For over two weeks, police have enforced strict closing times in Thonglor and Ekkamai, sending forlorn revelers careening from one locked door to the next.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/entertainment/2018/02/13/bangkoks-fun-ending-midnight/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2018-02-13

[StayinThailand2much]

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

Why Bangkok’s Fun Is Ending At Midnight Again

There should be a new TAT slogan: "Bangkok the Party Capital of the World - All Lights Out at Midnight: Goodnight!"

 

Thank god for Youtube and minibar! 

Edited February 13, 2018 by StayinThailand2much

[petedk]

I hope this lasts forever. 

 

We live in what used to be a quiet residential soi off Thong Lor, but now more and more houses are being sold and turned into night clubs/bars with the corresponding noise.  The latest open air restaurant was just 50 meters from our house. Luckily it was closed down very quickly (no parking spaces), but now they have turned it into some kind of short stay rooms.

 

Our neighbour turned his house into something similar, so we had minivans outside our house all night long, often with their motors on for an hour or more. Luckily, for us immigration found out that his business was illegal, so now we are waiting to see what happens to that property.

 

I disagree with the fact that pubs are not allowed open until early morning, but they should be kept to the designated entertainment zones. Residential zones should be kept for residence.

 

Edited February 13, 2018 by petedk

[marko kok prong]

2 hours ago, petedk said:

I hope this lasts forever. 

 

We live in what used to be a quiet residential soi off Thong Lor, but now more and more houses are being sold and turned into night clubs/bars with the corresponding noise.  The latest open air restaurant was just 50 meters from our house. Luckily it was closed down very quickly (no parking spaces), but now they have turned it into some kind of short stay rooms.

 

Our neighbour turned his house into something similar, so we had minivans outside our house all night long, often with their motors on for an hour or more. Luckily, for us immigration found out that his business was illegal, so now we are waiting to see what happens to that property.

 

I disagree with the fact that pubs are not allowed open until early morning, but they should be kept to the designated entertainment zones. Residential zones should be kept for residence.

 

Exactly why i moved out to the boonies,not night clubs in my small town just endless funerals,weddings,boys going to be monks,as one ended another began ,out here i only hear crickets,even the massive Mullam concerts in town i strain to hear,and i am only about 4 km out,live opposite to where my main larger house is being built on a private road,some nights out here you could be in the Aussie outback it's so quiet.

[Sir Dude]

The Thai killjoy squad at it again....and Prayut is a fully paid up member too as it's well known that his views on booze and fun is negative. He'd have us all singing his composed songs every night about sacrifice just because it's you Thailand etc. yada yada yada....pfft.

[yellowboat]

Since the junta came to town the "fun" has been less so.  Alcohol prices are edging closer to Malaysia and Singapore, with a poor selection, allowing Vietnam and Cambodia to crank up their night life.   Thailand really has trouble with gooses that lay golden eggs. 

 

When going to Thailand, always bring a bottle of the good stuff. 

[StayinThailand2much]

27 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

When going to Thailand, always bring a bottle of the good stuff. 

If only I could bring the good stuff on the plane. I'd be hauling crates from Vietnam or Laos... 

[CLW]

Second most visited city in the world with and night life worse than any western provincial town.

But the police owned and controlled van bar at Soi Cowboy can open until wee hours.

Recently I'd rather save money and time and do occasionally trips to Pattaya.
Much better than Bangkok.

[akirasan]

14 hours ago, marko kok prong said:

Exactly why i moved out to the boonies,not night clubs in my small town just endless funerals,weddings,boys going to be monks,as one ended another began ,out here i only hear crickets,even the massive Mullam concerts in town i strain to hear,and i am only about 4 km out,live opposite to where my main larger house is being built on a private road,some nights out here you could be in the Aussie outback it's so quiet.

That's exactly what I'm going through right now.  I said to the missus that I think this village is cursed because there's a funeral here every single week.

Currently looking at plots of land away from this village.  I've never known a small group of people to generate so much noise.  

[VocalNeal]

Has much changed? 15 years ago bars in Nana used to close at 2am. They probably still do. There are always the "tin tables" I've been sat at those when someone said "what's that noise, Oh shit it is the Skytrain and I have to be at work at 8".

 

Clubs? Well is Ministry of Sound still going? If not because the business model doesn't work here. I suspect Thermai is still going! Although not really a dance club. Or if not there is a replacement. 

 

I suspect there are many late night places but they would need to be away from the central area and probably not for expats/tourists.  People who live here and want to go just get on with it.

 

I'm thinking the original article was more an advert for Havana Social than it was a serious piece of journalism.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

If the police were actually enforcing the law, then why are countless bars and discos being allowed to operate with only restaurant permits, or no permits at all?

 

(the later being sourced from the fact that almost every time the police bust someplace for afterhours, noise, drugs, etc., it turns out the place has no permits whatsoever.)

 

A lot of these places are not restaurants to even the slightest degree. And yet, apparently, the current situation keeps the local plod in mia noi's and Mercs.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

18 hours ago, petedk said:

I disagree with the fact that pubs are not allowed open until early morning, but they should be kept to the designated entertainment zones. Residential zones should be kept for residence.

 

And you think Thailand or even Bangkok has land use zoning???? 

 

Just wait till someone opens a slaughterhouse next door...  And that probably would be legal!

 

[Stargeezr]

It is not LOS, really as much as BET, or brown envelope Thailand,  Don't you know?

Geezer

[spidermike007]

The goons in charge are focusing their efforts in all the wrong areas. They are trying to make Thailand a Quaker State. A land of purity. Total BS. Nonsense. Misplaced priorities, and wasted efforts. They should be focusing their efforts on traffic and public safety, easing import tariffs, making visa policy simpler, and more friendly, boosting Western tourism, real crackdowns on slavery, and illegal fishing instead of nonsensical hyperbole, cleaning up the water, the air, the rivers, and the beaches, and other things that actually improve lives.

 

Little P. Not making Thailand great again. And moving the nation backwards at an astonishing and alarming pace.  

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

3 hours ago, yellowboat said:

Since the junta came to town the "fun" has been less so.  Alcohol prices are edging closer to Malaysia and Singapore, with a poor selection, allowing Vietnam and Cambodia to crank up their night life.   Thailand really has trouble with gooses that lay golden eggs. 

 

When going to Thailand, always bring a bottle of the good stuff. 

you clearly have no idea what you are talking about. This is the police not the junta. They do this regularly to up the amount of tea money paid by the bars. It will all be back to normal soon enough, as always.

 

As for blaming the Junta, you obviously weren't here or choose not to remember what life was like under the dictatorship of Taksin. Everything closed early for years not just a month or so.

 

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

The goons in charge are focusing their efforts in all the wrong areas. They are trying to make Thailand a Quaker State. A land of purity. Total BS. Nonsense. Misplaced priorities, and wasted efforts. They should be focusing their efforts on traffic and public safety, easing import tariffs, making visa policy simpler, and more friendly, boosting Western tourism, real crackdowns on slavery, and illegal fishing instead of nonsensical hyperbole, cleaning up the water, the air, the rivers, and the beaches, and other things that actually improve lives.

 

Little P. Not making Thailand great again. And moving the nation backwards at an astonishing and alarming pace.  

But that's all hard, and Thais do not do hard. Closing bars is easy and takes little to no effort.

[yellowboat]

1 hour ago, ALLSEEINGEYE said:

you clearly have no idea what you are talking about. This is the police not the junta. They do this regularly to up the amount of tea money paid by the bars. It will all be back to normal soon enough, as always.

 

As for blaming the Junta, you obviously weren't here or choose not to remember what life was like under the dictatorship of Taksin. Everything closed early for years not just a month or so.

 

One of us is terribly delusional when comparing Taksin to little P and the watch troll.  My memories were sheer bliss before 2014.

 

As for the police vs. little P and the wrist watch troll, neither are due much credit.  The coup has allowed civil servants to act up as they get their cues from the top.  That is what the police are doing.   No accountability outside of social media, as we have seen so vividly, and the traditional media.   Without social media and a few brave protesters, the your junta and the police would go completely unchecked

[adammike]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The goons in charge are focusing their efforts in all the wrong areas. They are trying to make Thailand a Quaker State. A land of purity. Total BS. Nonsense. Misplaced priorities, and wasted efforts. They should be focusing their efforts on traffic and public safety, easing import tariffs, making visa policy simpler, and more friendly, boosting Western tourism, real crackdowns on slavery, and illegal fishing instead of nonsensical hyperbole, cleaning up the water, the air, the rivers, and the beaches, and other things that actually improve lives.

 

Little P. Not making Thailand great again. And moving the nation backwards at an astonishing and alarming pace.  

Sort out the dogs while they at it please.

[spidermike007]

allseeingeye wrote:

 

you clearly have no idea what you are talking about. This is the police not the junta. They do this regularly to up the amount of tea money paid by the bars. It will all be back to normal soon enough, as always.

 

As for blaming the Junta, you obviously weren't here or choose not to remember what life was like under the dictatorship of Taksin. Everything closed early for years not just a month or so.

 

 

1 hour ago, yellowboat said:

One of us is terribly delusional when comparing Taksin to little P and the watch troll.  My memories were sheer bliss before 2014.

 

As for the police vs. little P and the wrist watch troll, neither are due much credit.  The coup has allowed civil servants to act up as they get their cues from the top.  That is what the police are doing.   No accountability outside of social media, as we have seen so vividly, and the traditional media.   Without social media and a few brave protesters, the your junta and the police would go completely unchecked

I tend to agree. I think the goons in charge now are completely clueless. They are completely out of their element. While I was no fan of Thaksin, even more so his little sister Noluck, at least they were not engaging in embarrassing daily hyperbole, they knew nothing about. Little P. is moving thailand backwards, on countless levels. His incompetence is unimaginable, even in Thailand. And nothing happens with the police here, without the blessings of the junta. Always assume that is the case. 

[HooHaa]

2 hours ago, ALLSEEINGEYE said:

you clearly have no idea what you are talking about. This is the police not the junta. They do this regularly to up the amount of tea money paid by the bars. It will all be back to normal soon enough, as always.

 

As for blaming the Junta, you obviously weren't here or choose not to remember what life was like under the dictatorship of Taksin. Everything closed early for years not just a month or so.

 

it would seem that you are the one who is clueless, the police do not kill the goose that lays the golden eggs without a directive from above.

Just like the purachai years under thaksin 

[HerbalEd]

14 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Has much changed? 15 years ago bars in Nana used to close at 2am. They probably still do. There are always the "tin tables" I've been sat at those when someone said "what's that noise, Oh shit it is the Skytrain and I have to be at work at 8".

 

Clubs? Well is Ministry of Sound still going? If not because the business model doesn't work here. I suspect Thermai is still going! Although not really a dance club. Or if not there is a replacement. 

 

I suspect there are many late night places but they would need to be away from the central area and probably not for expats/tourists.  People who live here and want to go just get on with it.

 

I'm thinking the original article was more an advert for Havana Social than it was a serious piece of journalism.

You "suspect" incorrectly. Nana and Soi Cowboy are still open to 2am.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

On 2/13/2018 at 6:16 PM, marko kok prong said:

Exactly why i moved out to the boonies,not night clubs in my small town just endless funerals,weddings,boys going to be monks,as one ended another began ,out here i only hear crickets,even the massive Mullam concerts in town i strain to hear,and i am only about 4 km out,live opposite to where my main larger house is being built on a private road,some nights out here you could be in the Aussie outback it's so quiet.

No cockerels?

Thailand is Amazing!

 

 

Edited February 14, 2018 by George FmplesdaCosteedback

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

It's the same old story, anyone that has been here for long enough knows damn well it's just a Wai to whoever is in charge for a few weeks followed by more demands from the BiB for bigger brown envelopes.

Nobody cares about the tourist trade, people still come whatever they do.

Thailand has a three "S" attraction: Sun, sand and sex...

 

 

 

Edited February 14, 2018 by George FmplesdaCosteedback

[Sydebolle]

On 2/13/2018 at 3:47 PM, petedk said:

I hope this lasts forever. 

 

We live in what used to be a quiet residential soi off Thong Lor, but now more and more houses are being sold and turned into night clubs/bars with the corresponding noise.  The latest open air restaurant was just 50 meters from our house. Luckily it was closed down very quickly (no parking spaces), but now they have turned it into some kind of short stay rooms.

 

Our neighbour turned his house into something similar, so we had minivans outside our house all night long, often with their motors on for an hour or more. Luckily, for us immigration found out that his business was illegal, so now we are waiting to see what happens to that property.

 

I disagree with the fact that pubs are not allowed open until early morning, but they should be kept to the designated entertainment zones. Residential zones should be kept for residence.

 

While I can absolutely understand your situation (and made me move houses years ago into a guaranteed quieter zone) it is not a matter of the operator but the people who issue licenses. 
It is appalling how many venues are allowed to open and operate while not having considered the area (i.e. residential) or if there is circulation space (i.e. hopelessly clogged Soi access) or sufficient parking (usually none). 

My landlord went through the roof when handing in my termination and mentioned that I was the X-th tenant leaving. When telling him to address this issue with the authorities I realized that he never taxed the rental income nor would dare to file an official complaint - being scared by whoever owns or frequents the place.

Beware of such issues prior to signing leases and apply the same attention as to flood marks on walls and fence posts. 

[NanLaew]

22 hours ago, HerbalEd said:

You "suspect" incorrectly. Nana and Soi Cowboy are still open to 2am.

Are they?

[CLW]

Are they?

Yes, and very strict the last days.
I can only speak for Soi Cowboy that there are 3 places open late, that is Five star and the two street bars outside. Which one belongs to the same owner as Five star and the other new one, which is a mobile van bar is owned by police according to my sources

[CLW]

It's the same old story, anyone that has been here for long enough knows damn well it's just a Wai to whoever is in charge for a few weeks followed by more demands from the BiB for bigger brown envelopes.
Nobody cares about the tourist trade, people still come whatever they do.
Thailand has a three "S" attraction: Sun, sand and sex...

 
 
 

I hope you are right otherwise the Bangkok nightlife will stay very boring and die soon.

[CLW]

I suspect there are many late night places but they would need to be away from the central area and probably not for expats/tourists.  People who live here and want to go just get on with it.

Nope, even my Thai friends, locals from Bangkok, prefer to make party in Pattaya unless you want to spend money and hours in the taxi to possibly reach a late night place in Bangkok that maybe is still opened.

[CLW]

Yesterday it reached the zenith (or better say the abyss) of all this clown theater.

All venues in or near Soi Cowboy (and I guess all others in the influence of the 3 infamous police stations) were closed down at already 1:30am !!! because of a police order.
Only the street bars at entrance of Soi Cowboy were tolerated and could be opened late.

Additionally, before I had a look at Scratch Dog, they are charging now ridiculous 600 Baht entrance including 2 drinks.

[overherebc]

Quality tourist are back in bed by 10.30pm latest with a good book and a cup of cocoa.

Where's the problem?